Carrying means for cartons



July 14, 1964 N. D. ELLIS CARRYING MEANS FOR CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1963 8 L Y L f 6 M, WWW

July 14, 1964 N. D. ELLIS 3,140,814

CARRYING MEANS FOR CARTONS Filed Jan. 28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F|G,5 h '7 3 j 7 FIG,6

I/VVf/VTDF, Aha/040.5 17. ELL/6 July 14, 1964 N. D. ELLIS CARRYING MEANS FOR CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 28, 1963 f/VVf/Vfdfi N/CHOLI5 17. 544 I5 /WMM F7724 lune-rs.

United States Patent 3,140,814 CARRYING MEANS FOR CARTONS Nicholas D. Ellis, Ladue, Mo., assignor to Anheuser- Busch, Incorporated, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri 7 Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,322 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates in general to cartons and containers of the type used for packaging, storing, and carrying products, especially a relatively large number of canned products. In particular, this invention relates to a carrying handle in a conventional type carton containing twenty-four cans of beer or the like, which carton is adapted to be folded and loaded by automatic equipment in the same manner as a conventional carton.

One of the present conventional cartons used by the brewing industry to distribute beer to the purchasing public is a regular slotted carton adapted to contain twenty-four cans of beer in four rows of six cans each. The can most commonly used contains twelve fluid ounces and is approximately 4% inches high and 2% inches in diameter. Other sizes, such as ten ounce and 16 ounce cans, are also packaged in cartons having the same construction but differing slightly in height.

The conventional carton fully loaded with twenty-four cans of beer weighs approximately 24 pounds and is approximately 16 inches long, 10 inches wide, and inches high, and has no handholes or other carrying means. This carton is sold in most types of retail outlets where beer is sold including liquor stores, supermarkets, super drug stores and the like. A large percentage of the customers who come into supermarkets and drug stores are women, some of whom would like to purchase and take with them a twenty-four can carton of beer. However, such a carton is diflicult for women to carry gracefully, especially if they have other packages, with the result that either no beer or a smaller carton of beer is then purchased.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, easily formed and applied reinforced handle in a carton containing a relatively large number of cans which may then be carried with ease and grace, especially by women.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a longitudinal handle in a narrow wall of a rectangular carton so that the carton can be carried conveniently in a generally vertical position with one hand at the side of the person. In this position, the arm of the person is fully extended and hangs downwardly in a near natural position.

Another object is to provide a handle in a carton which can be assembled on existing high speed automatic aquipment. Another object is to provide a handle construction movably secured through the wall of a carton in such a manner that said wall does not receive the carrying force at concentrated points but has it distributed thereover. A further object is to provide a longitudinal handle in an end loading carton.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

This invention is embodied in a carton which is relatively heavy and normally difficult or awkward to carry and comprises a movable longitudinal handle extending movably through a narrow wall in said carton, said handle having end portions which are received through a separate reinforcing member positioned inside of said carton and adjacent to said narrow wall.

The invention also consists in the parts, and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings 3,149,814 Patented July 14, 1964 which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton embodying the present invention shown in carrying position,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the inner face of a blank of a carton embodying the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the handle receiving insert for said carton,

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a handle for said carton,

FIG. 6 is a side View thereof,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line 7--7 of FIG. 5,

FIG. 8 is a top plan View of the inner face of a blank of a carton embodying a modified form of the present invention in an end loading carton,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIG. 8 after it has been folded, loaded, sealed, and placedin carrying position,

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the inner face of a blank of a carton embodying another modified form of the present invention in an end loading carton, and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIG. 10 after it has been folded, loaded, sealed, and placed in carrying position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a carton C having a handle H mounted in a reinforcement member R.

The carton C shown in FIGS. 1-3 is folded from a blank having a serially connected front or side wall 1, end walls 2 and 3, a rear or side wall 4, and a connecting flap 5 with score lines 6 therebetween. The wall 1 becomes a top wall in carrying position. Said walls are relatively narrow or short in height, being usually about 5 inches or the height of a cylindrical can of beer having a flat circular top and bottom portions. Hingedly secured to the bottom of each side wall and end wall is a bottom panel 7 defined by a lower score line 8. The bottom panels 7 when folded inwardly form the bottom 9 of the carton C. Hingedly secured to the upper margin of each side wall and end wall is a cover panel 10 defined by an upper score line 11. The cover panels 10 when folded inwardly form the cover or top of the carton C. As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom 9 faces the viewer and the cover 12 is away from the viewer. The wall 1 is provided With a longitudinal opening 12 having enlarged center portions 13. Small centrally located openings 14 are provided in the score lines 6 at the ends of said wall 1 and in alignment with said longitudinal opening 12.

The reinforcement insert R, shown in FIG. 4, comprises a fiat piece of material, preferably the same or heavier material than that used for the carton. It has been found that .060 inch laminated container board produces satis factory results with 24 beer can cartons. The reinforcement insert R has bosses 15 at each corner thereof, two openings 16 for slidably receiving the handle H, and two projections 17 in the center of the ends 18 to cooperate with the openings 14 in the carton C. A 60 point fibre board insert has been found satisfactory for a 24 can beer carton. The handle H shown in FIGS. 5-7 is preferably made from plastic, such as polyethylene, and comprises a central portion 19 with enlarged rounded edges 20 for comfortably receiving the hand of the person carrying the carton, two narrow portions 21 extending therefrom which terminate in enlargements or hook portions 22 having shoulders 23 which contact the reinforcement insert R. The hook portions 22 are about one inch wide, are slightly wider than the length of the openings 16 in the insert R. However, by'twisting the plastic material the hooks 22 may be inserted through the openings 16 and then It allowed to spring to a position transversely thereacross. The central portion 19 has enlarged edges 20, as best shown in FIGS. and 7, which make the handle more comfortable for carrying.

The regular slotted carton shown in FIGS. 13 is loaded with cans from the top through the open cover panels onto the closed and fastened bottom panels 7 with the insert R in position against the wall 1 so that the handle H extends through the opening 12 therein. The insert R does not interfere with the loading operation. The cans 24 keep the insert R positioned against the inner face of the narrow wall 1 to keep the handle H extended and accessible as shown in FIG. 1. The carton is sealed in the usual manner, by closing the cover panels 10 and securing them in some suitable manner.

It is apparent from the foregoing, that the loaded carton can be carried with ease by the handle H. In doing so, the lifting forces are transmitted through the handle H to the hooks 22 therein which extend transversely of the insert R, which spreads the force over the narrow wall 1, thereby eliminating any greater concentration of force in said wall. The foregoing form of the invention is shown in a top loading carton.

The present invention can also be used in an end loading carton, as shown in FIG. 8 which is folded into hollow tubular position and then loaded from the end. In this form, the reinforced insert R takes the form of 90# kraft liner board glued to the carton C-1 so that it is always fixed against the Wall through which the handle H extends. In this form of the invention, the elongated opening 12 in the narrow top Wall 1 is eliminated in favor of two relatively small openings 25 in both the narrow wall and insert R. In this form, the hook ends 22 of the handle H are turned 90 from their natural transverse position in FIG. 7 and inserted through the aligned openings 25 in the top wall and insert R. This is done preferably after the carton has been loaded and sealed.

When the carton is lifted, the lifting force is transmitted to the handle H and to the hook ends 22 thereof, which transmit said force to the insert R which spreads the force over the wall in which the handle H is mounted.

The longitudinal plastic handle H forms a very convenient way to carry a 24 can carton, which is relatively heavy and weighs about 24 pounds when fully loaded. It provides economical and practical carrying means for existing kinds of cartons which can be folded and loaded on the same high speed automatic equipment presently in use.

The modified end loading carton C-1 is formed from a single, substantially rectangular paperboard sheet or blank shown in FIG. 8. The arrow therein shows the direction of the corrugations. It is folded into two traylike sections, indicated at 102 and 103. The blank from which the modified carton shown in FIG. 8 is produced is provided with two longitudinal fold lines indicated respectively at 104 and 105 with four transverse fold lines indicated respectively at 106, 107, 108, and 109. The fold lines 104 and 105 are parallel to the longitudinal edges of the blank, and the transverse fold lines extend therebetween. There is another transverse fold line 110, centrally disposed, which divides the blank substantially into two halves and serves as a permanent hinge between the body 102 and cover 103 of the carton when it is opened. The reinforcement insert R is centered along the line 110.

The fold lines 104, 105, 106, 107 form areas on the body 102 of the carton C-1 defining a bottom wall 111, a front wall 112, a rear wall 113, and end walls 114 and 115. The blank is cut inwardly from its longitudinal edges, as indicated at 116, 117 along the fold line 106 to form attachment flaps 118 and 119 on the ends of the front wall 112. Similar cuts 120 and 121 are provided to form the flaps 122 and 123 on the rear wall 113 of the body 102 of the carton. The cover member 103 is similarly divided to define a bottom wall 124, a front wall 125, a rear wall 126, and end walls 127 and 128. Cuts i 129 and 130 extend inwardly at the ends of wall line 109 to provide flaps 131 and 132 at the opposite ends of the front wall 125. Cuts 133 and 134 form flaps 135 and 136 on the rear wall 126 of the cover member 103. Cuts 137, 138, which terminate short of the fold lines 104 and 105, are provided at the ends of the score line 110.

The carton shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is an improvement upon the carton shown in the Ellis Patent No. 2,990,992 in that it is provided with a convenient carrying handle H, whose ends 23 extend through the openings 25 and abut against the under side of the reinforcement insert R to spread the force or weight of the heavy cans within the 24 can carton so as to prevent the handle H from tearing the material or pulling out of it. The erection and loading of the carton C1 shown in FIG. 8, which can be accomplished on high speed automatic equipment, is described more fully in said Ellis patent. As shown in FIG. 9, the rear walls 113 and 126 form the top wall when the carton is placed in carrying position, so that the reinforcement member R is secured to the underface of the top wall.

Another modified end loading carton C2 is formed from a single, substantially rectangular paperboard sheet or blank shown in FIG. 10. The arrow therein shows the direction of the corrugations. It is folded into two traylike sections indicated at 202 and 203. The blank from which the modified carton shown in FIG. 10 is produced is provided with two longitudinal fold lines indicated respectively at 204 and 205 with four transverse fold lines indicated respectively at 206, 207, 208, and 209. The fold lines 204 and 205 are parallel to the longitudinal edges of the blank, and the transverse fold lines extend therebetween. There is another transverse fold line 210, which serves as a permanent hinge between the body 202 and cover 203 of the carton when it is opened.

The fold lines 204, 205, 206, 207 form areas on the body 202 of the carton defining a bottom wall 211, a manufacturers flap 212, a rear wall 213, and end walls 214 and 215. The blank is cut inwardly from its longitudinal edges, as indicated at 220 and 221 along the fold line 207 to form attachment flaps 222 and 223 on the rear wall 213 of the body 202 of the carton. The cover member 203 is similarly divided to define a bottom wall 224, a front wall 225, a rear wall 226, and end walls 227 and 228. Cuts 229 and 230 extend inwardly at the ends of wall line 209 to provide flaps 231 and 232 at the opposite ends of the front wall 225. Cuts 233 and 234 form flaps 235 and 236 on the rear wall 226 of the cover member 203.

Cuts 237 and 238, which terminate short of the fold lines 204 and 205, are provided at the ends of the score line 210.

The outer edge of the wall 225 is defined by a tear strip T, such as rayon tape or other suitable material, which extends across the entire blank. The tear strip T defines the inner edge of the wall 239 which has end flaps 240 and 241 thereon which are separated from the end flaps 231 and 232 by the slits 242 and 243. The walls 225 and 239 are provided with U-shaped cuts or slits 244 and 245 which extend inwardly from the fold lines 204 and 205 about one inch and extend outwardly beyond said fold lines a short distance to provide gripping ears 246 and 247 when the carton is folded into rectangular form.

The carton shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is provided with a convenient carrying handle H, whose ends 23 extend through the openings 25 and abut against the under side of the reinforcement insert R to spread the force or weight of the heavy cans within the 24 can carton so as to prevent the handle H from tearing the material or pulling out of it. The erection and loading of the carton C-2 shown in FIG. 9 can be accomplished on high speed automatic equipment. As shown in FIG. 11, the rear walls 213 and 226 form the top wall when the carton is placed in carrying position, so that the reinforcement member R is secured to the underface of the top wall.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An easy to carry carton formed from a rectangular blank, said carton in its carried position comprising a top wall of single thickness, side walls, end walls, and a bottom wall, said top wall having at least one opening therein, a separate unfolded reinforcing member positioned inside of said carton adjacent to the underside of said top wall, said reinforcing member being secured to said top wall and having openings therein in alignment with the opening in said top wall, a handle member having end portions which extend through said openings in said top wall and said reinforcing member, said handle being made from flexible material and being movable through said openings so that it has a carrying position in spaced relation from said top wall and a non-carrying position adjacent to said top Wall.

2. A one-piece rectangular carton having a separate unfolded reinforcement member and a handle, said carton having a pair of tray-like members substantially similar in shape and size, each tray-like member having a side wall and end walls, said carton having one-piece top and bottom walls each having two end flaps at each end thereof folded inwardly and adhesively attached to the end walls, said top wall having at least one opening therein, said reinforcement member positioned inside of said carton and secured to the inner face of said top wall, said reinforcement member having openings therein for receiving the end portions of said handle in sliding relation so that said handle may be positioned adjacent to said top wall or spaced therefrom as desired.

3. The carton set forth in claim 1 wherein said separate unfolded reinforcement member is substantially coextensive with the inner face of said top wall, said member having projecting means on the edges thereof which extend into openings in said carton adjacent to the top wall for keeping said reinforcement member in contact with said top wall, said member having two elongated openings therein for receiving the ends of a handle, said handle being mounted in sliding relation with respect to said top wall and said insert.

4. The carton set forth in claim 1 wherein said reinforcement member is adhesively secured to the underside of the top wall and occupies a substantial area thereon, said member having two openings therein for receiving the ends of said handle in sliding relation thereto, said top wall having two openings in alignment with the openings in said top wall.

5. A one-piece carton formed from a tubular enclosure with open ends, said carton having a body, a cover, a handle extending through the top wall of said carton, said top wall being of single thickness, and a reinforcement member secured to the underface of said top wall said body and cover each having a side wall, and two end walls which are open during loading, said body and cover having common top and bottom walls, said top and bottom walls each having flaps hingedly connected thereto which are open during loading and are inwardly at right angles thereto after loading, said end walls thereafter being folded into contacting relation with said end flaps and secured thereto, said side wall on said cover panel having an outer top panel which overlies and is secured to said top Wall portion of said cover, said other top panel having a handle member hingedly sccured thereto, said common top wall provided with a longitudinal score line on which the cover is hingedly connected to the body, the two flaps at each end of said common rear wall being separated from each other by a cut extending from the ends of said longitudinal score line, said end flaps above said score line folded inwardly and adhesively attached to the end walls of said cover, and said end flaps below said score line folded inwardly and adhesively attached to the end walls of said body, and a pull strip extending across said common bottom wall parallel to said hinge for opening the carton.

6. In a rectangular carton blank having a reinforcement member secured thereon, a pair of fold lines parallel to and adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the blank, transverse fold lines extending between said first-named fold lines and dividing the blank into two members one of which is foldable into a tray-like body and the other into an opposed tray-like cover, each of said members having transverse fold lines to form areas defining a side wall and a bottom wall, one of said members having transverse fold lines to form the entire top wall of said carton, said top wall being of single thickness, said reinforcement member being secured to said top wall, said fold line on said top wall defining a hinge between the body and cover when the carton is set up, said reinforcement member and said top wall having aligned openings for receiving the end portions of a carrying handle.

7. The blank set forth in claim 6 wherein said bottom wall has flaps extending outwardly therefrom along fold lines, said bottom wall and said flaps at each end being provided with U-shaped cuts which extend slightly within said flaps, said cuts providing tabs for opening a tear strip secured to said bottom wall when said flaps are folded along said fold lines into perpendicular relation to said bottom wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,147,503 Seifer Feb. 14, 1939 2,760,716 Weiner Aug. 28, 1956 2,990,992 Ellis July 4, 1961 3,002,613 Merkel et al. Oct. 3, 1961 

5. A ONE-PIECE CARTON FORMED FROM A TUBULAR ENCLOSURE WITH OPEN ENDS, SAID CARTON HAVING A BODY, A COVER, A HANDLE EXTENDING THROUGH THE TOP WALL OF SAID CARTON, SAID TOP WALL BEING OF SINGLE THICKNESS, AND A REINFORCEMENT MEMBER SECURED TO THE UNDERFACE OF SAID TOP WALL SAID BODY AND COVER EACH HAVING A SIDE WALL, AND TWO END WALLS WHICH ARE OPEN DURING LOADING, SAID BODY AND COVER HAVING COMMON TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS, SAID TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS EACH HAVING FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED THERETO WHICH ARE OPEN DURING LOADING AND ARE INWARDLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO AFTER LOADING, SAID END WALLS THEREAFTER BEING FOLDED INTO CONTACTING RELATION WITH SAID END FLAPS AND SECURED THERETO, SAID SIDE WALL ON SAID COVER PANEL HAVING AN OUTER TOP PANEL WHICH OVERLIES AND IS SECURED TO SAID TOP WALL PORTION OF SAID COVER, SAID OTHER TOP PANEL HAVING A HANDLE MEMBER HINGEDLY SECURED THERETO, SAID COMMON TOP WALL PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL SCORE LINE ON WHICH THE COVER IS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE BODY, THE TWO FLAPS AT EACH END OF SAID COMMON REAR WALL BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY A CUT EXTENDING FROM THE ENDS OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SCORE LINE, SAID END FLAPS ABOVE SAID SCORE LINE FOLDED INWARDLY AND ADHESIVELY ATTACHED TO THE END WALLS OF SAID COVER, AND SAID END FLAPS BELOW SAID SCORE LINE FOLDED INWARDLY AND ADHESIVELY ATTACHED TO THE END WALLS OF SAID BODY, AND A PULL STRIP EXTENDING ACROSS SAID COMMON BOTTOM WALL PARALLEL TO SAID HINGE FOR OPENING THE CARTON. 